Saddle pad



' V March 2,1937.. i `:..TALHBER 0729338 SADDLE PAD Filed Myar'rch 2, 1935 A11-DRM evs Patented Mal', .2;

A2,072,188l 'i PATENT OFFICE, N

Y SADDLE rm)v Louis Tauber, Jamaica, Y. applicati@ Maren 2, 1935 'isaiasi No. 8,971V 4 claims. 01. :sia-c6) riding saddles and its general object is to pro vide an improved pad which will afford both the:

horse or other animal upon which the saddle isl employed and the rider a maximum degree of comfort. p 4

I-Ieretofore Yit has been customary to employ aA pad of feltvor a blanket between the ordinary riding saddle and the horse, the primary purpose:

being'to prevent the `saddle from chai-lng *they horse, but these pads or blankets are comparatively short lived and `do not serve .particularly Well the purposes for Which theisr are used. A parl-- ticular aim of the present invention, therefore is to provide an improved saddle pad that will not. only wear longer than saddle pads heretofore in. use, but will l-serve more effectually to preventchafing and saddle sores, While at the same time: increasing the comfort of the rider.

To this end the invention aims to provide a saddle pad having a pronounced cushioning action whereby it will `afford comfort, by reason of this cushioning action, both to the rider and the animal, by taking up the shocks incident to the lack of coordination of the ymovements of .the

rider and the animal. y

The invention aims further to provide a cushion of such construction that it maybe brought into immediate Contact with the hide of the animal and, when inl such contact, Will be substantially 30 free from irritating effect, either by reason of its composition or by reason of its structure.

An important feature; of the cushion construction of the present invention is that, While serving effectively as a cushion, it provides also free 35 ventilation. over substantially the entire surface of contact between the cushion and the animals hide and thus-1 permits normal perspiration and constant access of air to the hide beneath the 40 saddle. n n

Another nrrpiortant feature of the invention 1s the means by' Which the structural shape and contour of the pad as a whole are resiliently maintained,l this means not interfering in any Way either with the cushioning action of the pad or with the ventilation thereof.

Other objects and important features of the invention Will appear from the following descrip-` tion and claims when considered in connection with the accompanying dravving, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pad embodying the present invention shown in posltionron he backoflfa horse;

:Figure ,2 is *a plan view of the pad when placed 55 inflat condition:

Figure 3 shows the pad folded, in side elevaiiion;

HFigure 4 is an end elevation of the pad shown iin Figure 3,V and -A Figure 5 is a sectional detail of the hinge con- 5 :struction andthe immediately adjacent poritions of the pad.

In selecting a material for the cushion part of the saddle pad of the present invention it is important, as above suggested, that the material be 10 tof such a nature that it will not irritate thehide 'of the animal, either by reason of its composition (or by reason of its structure, and that, tothis (end, it should structurally `permit normal functioning of the pores. Because of its resiliency, a 15 (cushion of rubber of sponge-like structure andv :texture is useful both for its cushioning effect :and for its Ventilating effect, but it is important that the composition of this cushion be such that it does not cause irritation to the animals hide. 20

Many sponge rubbers are not suitable for this purpose because the sponge effect is produced by the use of gas-forming chemicals, such as sodium bicarbonate, portions of which remain uncombined in the rubber sponge and thus come into 25 contact with the animals hide and cause irritation. Furthermore, to insure ventilation and to prevent accumulation of irritating matter in the sponge, it is important, that there be free communication between different parts of the sponge and substantial freedom from occluded cells in the sponge structure; in other words, there should be free communication from one cell to another throughout the entire structure.

I have found that a sponge rubber particularly Suited for use in the cushion construction of the present invention is one in which the sponge effect is produced by the expansion of water into steam and the subsequent conversion of the individual cells into communicating cells by rupturing the walls or separating partitions thereof.

Because of the fact that sponge rubber of the thickness and open, freely-communicating cellular structure found desirable for the cushion of the saddle pad of the present invention has com.- paratively little resistance to distortion either transversely or laterally, I have found it desirable to reinforce the structure as a whole to resist distortion of the pad out of its desired saddle supporting contour while permitting it to conform to the body of the horse or other animal with which it is to be used. For this purpose I have found that the combination with the sponge rubber cushion of a sheet rubber backing, providing a substantial resilient resistance to such distortion, is particularly useful.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention, the sponge rubber cushion 2, preferably having the structural characteristics hereinabove set forth, is shaped to the desired saddle supporting contour, such, for example, as that shown in Figure 2, comprising a seat portion 4 and skirt portions 6, and is provided with a backing 8 of sheet rubber, preferably in the form of an integral sheet covering both the seat portion 4 and the skirt portions 6 of the pad. The sheet rubber backing 8 is preferably vulcanized directly to the sponge rubber cushion 2, the rub"- ber cushion 2 being preferably split along the median line. of the seat portion, as shown at I0 to permit the folding of one symmetrical half of the pad over upon the other half, using the joint bridging portion of the sheet rubber covering as a hinge for the folding operation.

Inv orderthat the folding operation may not tend to put too much of a strain upon the portion of the sheet rubber covering or backing 8 which bridges the split'in the cushion 2, the covering is preferably reinforced over this split,

" and preferably to a substantial distance to either side thereof, by rubber covered and impregnated fabric reinforcement I2.

As hereinabove suggested, the sponge rubber of whichthe cushion 2 is composed is made up `of intercommunicating cells and is substantially free from occluded cells so that air or moisture may circulate freely through the sponge, thus permitting free escape of the perspiration. In

vorder further to permit free. Ventilating action,

the pad is provided at suitably spaced intervals with Ventilating openings I4 extending through both the sponge rubber cushion 2 and the sheet rubber backing 8, whereby air or moisture in the form of vapor does not have to travel so far '-"Fthrough the sponge before being allowed to escape. The constant compressing and expanding of the cushion 2 with the movements of the horse and rider, withV the incidentaltendency of the saddle and pad to move slightly relatively "to each other, insure a constant circulation of construction, it may readily be washed in water and wrung out in the usual manner of wringing cloth, thus maintaining a structure clean both internally and externally.

What I claim as new is:

1. A saddle pad shaped to the desired saddle supporting contour and comprising, in combination, a rubber cushion made up of a spongelike structure of intercommunicating cells, substantially free from occluded cells and also free from chemicals not constituting elements of the rubber composition itself, anda sheet rubber backing for said sponge rubber arranged to interpose resilient resistance to distortion of the saddle-supporting contour of said pad, said pad being provided at intervals throughout its area with Ventilating openings extending through said sheet rubber and communicating with said intercommunicating cells.

2. A saddle pad having seat and skirt supporting portions each comprising a sponge rubber cushion, and a sheet rubber backing for said cushions in theform of a continuous sheet, said sponge rubber being split along the median line of said'seat portion whereby the continuous sheet rubber backing forms a hinge to permit convenient folding of said pad.

3. A saddle pad having seat and skirt supporting portions each comprising a sponge rubber cushion, and a sheet rubber backing for said cushions in the form of a` continuous sheet, said sponge rubber being split along the median line of said seat portion whereby the continuous sheet rubber backing forms a hinge to permit convenient foldingLof one symmetrical half of said pad upon the other, and fabric reinforcing for said sheet rubber backing at the aforementionedl hinge portion thereof.

4. A saddle pad having seat and skirt supporting portions each comprising a'sponge rubber cushion, and a sheet rubber backing for said cushions in the form of a continuous sheet, said sponge rubber being split along the median line of vvsaid seat portion whereby the continuous sheet rubber backing forms a hinge to permit convenient folding of said pad, and fabric reenforcing for said sheet rubber backing at the aforementioned hinge portion thereof, said fabric re-enforcing extending to a substantial distance to either side of the hinge joint.

LOUIS TAUBER. 

